1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cover apparatus for a utility enclosure and, in particular, relates to a ventilated cover for a utility enclosure that has a rock-like appearance so as to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
2. Description of the Related Art
Increasingly, modern utility lines, such as telephone, electrical, and cable lines, are located underground, rather than in the air suspended by telephone poles, as in the past. While locating utility lines underground provides the advantage of removing unsightly telephone poles and suspended wires from city streets and rural landscapes, it also presents several disadvantages. Specifically, access to these underground lines is difficult and requires that these lines be periodically brought to the surface and enclosed within a surface enclosure. Consequently, utility companies have located utility enclosures at various above-ground or ground level locations. However, these enclosures are often unsightly, particularly when located in suburban neighborhoods and the like.
These utility enclosures do have certain advantages. For instance, they give utility workers the ability to perform maintenance on the lines, as well as the ability to diagnose or enhance the performance of the lines using active and passive devices that are attached to the utility lines in the enclosure. An above-ground enclosure provides easy access for changing these devices or otherwise upgrading or providing maintenance on these utility services. For example, above-ground utility enclosures facilitate the task of attaching amplifiers, or line extenders, or the like to cable TV lines. In this instance, the amplifiers act to boost the signal that is transmitted through the line.
Unfortunately, there are also certain drawbacks associated with current utility enclosures. First, the utility enclosures are unattractive in appearance as they typically consist of large box-shaped structures made of unattractive colors. Such devices are especially undesirable in residential areas, where the utility connectors often project upward in the yard of a home and spoil an otherwise well-landscaped yard. The utility enclosures and connectors contained therein also present another disadvantage in that their current design is impractical. As discussed, amplifiers and other devices are often located in the enclosures where connections are formed in the utility lines to boost the signal carried by the lines. Typically, these types of devices are suspended from an elevated bar that extends upward from the utility connector housing. However, in current utility connectors, the position of the elevated bar from which these devices are hung is fixed. This is undesirable, as it does not allow an operator to adjust the location of the bar to suit the various types and sizes of amplifiers or other devices. Moreover, because the position of the bar is fixed, it often gets in the way of a maintenance person who is trying to access the utility lines.
Hence, there is a need for a utility connector that is more aesthetically pleasing, as well as more practical and convenient for utility maintenance personnel to access for maintenance of the utility services provided therein.